^O  f  i 


XwMi 


1312 


Benjamin    ^,    Avers — hia    ancestr7r  and 
descendants. 


by 

Mrs.    Rebecca    Graham    (Avers)    Andrevv- 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


BENJAMIN  A.  AVARS 


HIS 


ANCESTRY    AND    DESCENDANTS 


COMPILED 

BY 

BESSIE  AYARS  ANDREWS 


VINELAND  NEW  JERSEY 

I  91  2 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/benjaminaayarshiOOandr 


BENJAMIN    A.    AYARS 


BENJAMIN  A.  AVARS 


HIS 


ANCESTRY     AND     DESCENDANTS 


COMPILED    BY 
BESSIE  AVARS  ANDREWS 


VINELAND  NEW  JERSEY 

I   9   I    2 


CS7/ 


PREFACE. 

"The  glory  of  children  is  their  Fathers." 

My  sister,  Elizabeth  A.  Ayars  gathered  a 
record  of  the  Ayars  family;  descendants  of  Rob- 
ert Ayars  the  first  settler  of  that  name  in  South 
Jersey.  From  her  manuscript,  I  have  traced  the 
line  of  Benjamin  A.  Ayars,  our  father,  and  have 
added  a  biographical  sketch.  I  trust  the  infor- 
mation contained  in  the  following  pages  may  be 
of  service  to  those  who  are  interested  in  this  par- 
ticular branch  of  the  family. 

Rebecca  Graham  Ayars. 

[Mrs.   Bessie  Ayars  Andrews.] 

Vineland,  N.  J.    May   i,   1912. 


516172 

LIB  SETS 


The  Ayars  family  is  very  old.  It  is  said  in 
England  complete  records  exist  going  back  to 
1060  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror. 

The  name  has  many  synonyns:  Ayars,  Ayers, 
Ayer,   Ayre,   Eyre.   Ayr. 

The  legend  concerning  its  origin  dates  back 
to  the  eleventh  century  and  is  found  in  Thorp's 
"Catalogue  of  the  Deeds  of   Battle  Abbey." 

"Legend:  The  first  of  this  family  was  named 
Truelove  who  was  one  of  the  followers  of  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror  at  the  battle  of  Hastings  in 
1066.  The  Duke  was  tiung  from  his  horse  and 
his  helmet  beaten  into  his  face,  which  Truelove 
observing,  pulled  off  and  horsed  him  again. 
Duke  William  said  to  him,  "Thou  shalt  liere- 
after  instead  of  Truelove  be  called  Eyre  or  Ayr; 
because  thou  hast  given  me  the  air  I  breathe  " 

After  the  battle  the  Duke  found  him  severely 
wounded,  his  leg  and  thigh  having  been  struck 
off.  He  gave  him  lands  in  Derl)y,  a  coat  of 
arms — the  leg  and  tliigh  in  armor  cut  off — and 
an  honorary  badge  yet  worn  by  all  the  Eyres  in 
England.  Arms:  Argent,  on  a  chevron  sab'f, 
three  quarters  foils  or  crest:  An  armored  leg 
couped  at  thigh  erect  per  ]ioIe,  Motto:  L(i<h' 
lie  If  Jhnt/il, 

5 


Robert  Ayars  emigrated  from  England  in 
1664,  first  settling  in  Rhode  Island,  where  he 
married  Hester  Bowen,  remaining  there  about 
twenty  years. 

In  [684'5  he  left  Hopkiuton,  where  he  had 
located  in  Rhode  Island,  and  removed  with  his 
family  to  Back  Neck,  Cumberland  County,  New 
Jersey,  on  Cohansey  River  in  what  was  then 
known  as  Shrewsbury  Neck,  just  across  the 
river  from  Greenwich. 

He  purchased  20d  acres  from  thi  daughters 
of  John  Oilman  and  600  acres  of  Restore 
Lippincott,  from  a  tract  of  one  thousand  acrv:;s 
purchased  of  John  Fenwick.  This  section  south 
of  the  Cohansey  river  was  surveyed  as  early  as 
1678  by  Fenwick's  deputy  surveyor,  Ricliard 
Hancock,  who  laid  off  500  acres  for  William 
Worth,  the  first  white  person  to  settle  on  that 
side  of  the  river;  he  was  however  soon  followed 
by  others. 

November  21,  1795,  Robert  Ayars  purchasjcl 
2200  acres  of  land  covering  the  present  site  of  the 
village  of  Shiloh,  of  Dr.  James  Wass,  a  London 
physician  who  bought  5,000  acres  July  12,  1675  of 
Johu  Fenwick  before  he  sailed  for  America.  Phis 
tract  was  located  and  surveyed  in  1694  by  Jolm 
Worledge  a  deputy  surveyor.  It  was  resurvey- 
ed  October  15-18,  1705  by  Jacolj  Barkstead  and 
2200  acres  conveyed  to  Robert  Ayars,  late  of 
Rhode  Island,  gentleman. 

"The  first  Virginia  councils  were  composed  al- 
most entirely  of  men  of  title        The  spirit  of  ad- 
venture   which   had   brought    Hawkins,    Drake, 
the  Oilberts  and  others  such  honors  and  renown 
6 


drew  the  younj;  gallants  fresh  from  tlieir  father's 
estates  or  from  the  wars  in  the  low  countries,  and 
the  term  'Gentleman,'  as  showing  one  of  the 
arms  bearing  class  is  constantly  found  in  the 
list  of  immigrants." 

After  a  residence  of  upwards  of  twenty  years 
on  his  estate  at  Shrewsbury  Neck,  Robert  Ayars 
took  possession  of  his  new  purchase.  He  was  one 
of  the  early  Baptist  settlers  and  is  thought  to  have 
been  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  as  most  of  his  df 
scendants  adhered  to  that  branch  of  the  Baptist 
denomination  which  keep  the  seventh  day  of 
the  week  as  the  Sabbath.  He  sold  oflf  his  tract 
to  those  of  the  same  faith,  who  naturally  settled 
in  the  neighborhood,  the  better  to  carry  out  their 
belief. 

The  place  was  called  Cohansey  Corners,  but  a 
short  time  after  the  establishment  of  the  Church 
of  the  Sabbatarian  order  in  1737,  the  name  was 
changed  to  Shiloh,  after  the  Biblical  Shiloh.  in 
the  land  of  Canaan  that  was  consecrated  to  the 
worship  of  God. 

In  a  deed  to  his  grandson  C.ileb  .Vyars,  jr  ,  the 
the  name  was  written  Ayers,  by  the  person  who 
wrote  the  deed,  but  when  Roljert  signed  his 
name  he  wrote  it  Ayars,  and  his  descendants 
have  generally  followed  his  way  of  spelling 

Robert  Ayars'  will  is  dated  F'ebriiary  25,  1716 
-17.  He  probably  lived  for  sometime  after  that 
as  the  will  vvas  not  proved  until  May  i,  1719. 
His  wife  and  Henry  Buck  were  named  as  execu 
tors.  Tile  inventory  of  his  personal  estate,  made 
by  Dickasou  Sliepherd,  ainounted  to  £\(^1  6.7, 
including  books    valuc-d  at  £1  (^- 


Robert  Ayars'  family  consisted  of  nine  child- 
ren, as  follows: 

I.  Isaac  2.  Stephen         3.  Judah 

4.  John  5.    Robert  6.   Caleb 

7.  Joshua  8.   Hester  g.   Ann 

Isaac,  eldest  son  of  Robert(  i ) ,  married  Hannali 
Barrett,  and  has  many  descendants  in  West  Jerse> 
one  of  whom,  James  Hunt,  participated  in  the 
"Tea-Burning"  at  Greenwich  in  1774. 

Stephen,  the  second  son  of  Robert  (i)  died 
in  1726.  His  will  is  dated  February  27,  1725-6, 
and  Joseph  Reeve.  William  Garton  and  Samuel 
Johnson  were  witnesses  An  inventory  of  his 
personal  estate  was  made  by  the  two  first  named, 
April  12,  amountin.ej  to  ^45  12:  the  will  was 
proved  the  next  day.  His  brother  John  was 
the  executor. 

Judah,  third  son  of  Robert  (i),  is  said  to  have 
returned  to  Rhode  Island*. 

John,  fourth  son  of  Robert(i),  married  Cecilia 
Colwell.  He  was  constable  in  1729,  his  death 
occurred  in  174 1. 

Robert,  fifth  son  of  Robert  (i)  married  Sarah 
Burgin.  She  was  a  descendant  of  John  Burgin. 
first  settler  of  that  name,  who  in  1651,  married 
Mary  Winthrop  of  Dudley,  Mass.  and  came  from 
that  province  to  New  [ersey.  The  Burgin  family 
was  of  considerable  importance  in  England,  Bur- 
gin Castle  being  situated  in  the  county  of  Nor- 
folk, a  few  miles  from  the  town  of  Great  Yar- 
mouth 

On  the  Burgin  coat  of  arms  is  seen  a  sword 
and  key    crossed,    with   the  motto,   "Sud  Spe." 

Robert  died  in  the  year  1735. 


Caleb,  sixth  son  of  Robert  (i), married  Rebecca 
Berrymaii,  he  died  January  24,  1760,   nged  67. 

Rebecca  died  September  19,  1774.    aged  75. 

Joshua,  seventh  son  of  Robert  (i),  born  in 
1695,  married  Kezia  Brooks,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Timothy  Brooks.  His  second  wife  was  Anna 
Swinney.     Joshua  died  May  5,  1759. 

Hester,  eighth  child  of  Robert  (i),  marritd 
John  Jarman. 

Ann.  ninth  child  of  Robert  (i),  remained  sin- 
gle. 

The  children  of  Robert  (2),  and  Sarah  Bur- 
gin  Ayars,  fifth  son  of  Robert  (i),  and  Hester 
Ayars,  are  as  follows: 

I.  James  2.  Burgin       3.   Robert 

4.  Temperance    5.  Sarah         6,    Ann 

James,  first  son  of  Robert  (2),  married  Han- 
nah Ayars,  he  died  in  1796. 

Burgin,  second  son  of  Robert  (2),  was  born  in 
I  726,  he  married  Susanna  Gilman. 

Robert,  third  son  of  Robert  (2),  no  record. 

Temperance,  fourth  child  of  Robert  (2),  mar- 
ried Henry  Paulding. 

Sarah,  fifth  child  of  Robert  (2),  married  Jo- 
seph Paulding. 

Ann,  sixth  child  of  Robert  (2),  no  record. 

Burgin,  second  son  of  Robert  (2),   of  whom 
Benjamin  Ayars  was  a   descendant,   was  born  in 
Shiloh.  New  Jersey,  in  1720.     He  settled  in  Up- 
per Pittsgrove,    Salem   County    about    1750-60 
He  married  Susanna  Gilman   May  28,  1754. 

Bishop  Asbury  in  his  writings  informs  us  of 
preaching  at  .Murphy  Meeting  House  now  Friend- 
ship.       He  says,    "after  service  we  came  to  thy 

9 


widow  Ayars,  the  mother  and  daughter  are  se- 
rious and  the  son  thoughtful."  Mrs.  Susanna 
Ayars,  of  whom  Asbury  here  speaks  was  one  of 
the  first  Methodists  in  Pittsgrove.  She  first  re- 
ceived the  Lord's  prophets  in  that  place.  She 
died  in  peace  in  1807. 

The  children  of  Burgin  and  Susanna  Ayars  are 
as  follows: 

I   Temperance     2  Robert         3  Sarah 

4  Elizabeth  3  John  G.       6  Burgin  . 

7  Ann 

Temperance,  first  child  of  Burgin  (3),  remain- 
ed single. 

Robert,  first  son  of  Burgin  (3),  was  born  in 
1750,  married  Elizabeth  .Morgan,  he  died  in  1828 

Sarah,  third  child  of  Burgin  (3),  was  born 
March  2,  1755,  married  Joast  Newkirk,  she 
died  November   14,  1831. 

Elizabeth,  fourth  child  of  Burgin  (3),  married 
Stephen  Garrison. 

John  G.,  second  .son  of  Burgin  (3),  was  born 
about  1764,  married  Mary  Sparks,  who  was 
born  November  14,  1768,  died  December  i, 
1821.     He  died  September  29,  1838,   aged  74. 

Burgin,  third  son  of  Burgin  (3),  married  Han- 
nah Early. 

Ann,  seventh  child  of  Burgin (3),  married  Rev. 
Jeptha  Abbott. 

The  children  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Morgan 
are  as  follows: 

James  3  Susanna 

Burgin  M.         6  John 
Samuel  9  Rebecca 

Robert 


I   Elizabeth 

2 

4  Sarah 

5 

7  Temperance 

8 

10  Marv 

I  [ 

Elizabeth,  first  child  of  Robert  (4),  was  1  orn 
in  1783  and  died  in  the  year  1803. 

James,  son  of  Robert  (4),  was  born  June  12, 
1785,  married  Deborah  Abbott,  who  was  born 
January  18,  1785;  died  December  6.  1S43  He 
married  for  his  second  wife,  Elizabeth  Riggins, 
and  died  April  29,  1862. 

Susanna,  third  child  of  Robert  (4),  died  young. 
Sarah,   fourth  child  of   Robert  (4),  was    born 
in  1787,  married  James  Tebble. 

Burgin  M  ,  second  son  of  Robert  (4).  born 
in  1789.  died  unmarried  January  20,  1862. 

John,  third  son  of  Robert  (4),  born  in  179 1 . 
died  young. 

Temperance,  seventh  child  of  Robert  (4),  was 
born  ill  £792,  married  George  Anderson.  She 
died  in  March  r875. 

Samuel,  fourth  son  of  Robert  (4),  was  born 
in  1794,  married  Catherine  Dendlebeck,  whc 
was  born  in  1808,  and  died  September  16,  1891. 
Samuel  died  February  3,  1864. 

Rebecca,  ninth  child  of  Robert  (4),  was  born 
August  12,  1796,   married  Simon  Wilsey. 

.Mary,  tenth  child  of  Robert  (4),  was  born  in 
1800,  married  Charles  Cassady. 

Robert,  fifth  son  of  Robert  (4),  born  in  1S02, 
died  young, 

James  Ayars,  first  son  of  Robert  (4),  was  the 
writer's  grandfather,  who  remembers  him  as  a 
genial,  jolly  old  man,  loving  his  grandchildren 
as  they  visited  him  at  the  Ayars  homestead  and 
farm  in  Upper  Pittsgrove.  about  one  mile  from 
old  Pine  Tavern.  A  short  distance  back  of  tlie 
house  was  a  charming    strip  of  woodland  where 


II 


were  piue  trees  that  grew  cones  in  clusters  which 
were  preserved  as  curiosities.  Along  the  mossy 
roadside  the  wintergreen  berries  grew  in  such 
abundance  that  the  pockets  of  each  grandchild 
visiting  this  ideal  woodland  were  filled  to  their 
greatest  capacity  on  returning  to  the  homestead. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife  in  1843,  he  remain- 
ed on  his  farm  until  1846,  when  he  sold  his  per- 
sonal effects,  rented  his  farm  and  made  his  home 
for  a  few  years  with  his  eldest  son,  Benjamin 
Abbott  Ayars,  in  Greenwich.  During  this  peri- 
od he  made  a  visit  to  his  sons  in  Kansas;  return- 
ing from  the  West  the  attractions  of  the  old 
homestead  drew  him  thither  again.  Reengaged 
a  competent  housekeeper,  Miss  Elizabeth  Rig- 
gins,  whom  he  afterwards  married,  and  spent 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life  on  the  farm. 

The  writer  at  the  age  of  13  attended  his  fune- 
ral at  his  home  in  Upper  Pittsgrove.  An  old 
hair  covered  trunk  used  by  him  on  his  western 
journey  came  into  her  possession;  among  the  old 
papers  it  contains  is  the  advertisement  of  his 
vendue  in  1846,  as  follows: 

VENDUE. 
Will  be  sold  at  public  sale,  on  Monday,  the 
23d  March  inst.  At  the  residence  of  the  sub. 
scriberin  Pittsgrove,  Salem  county, near  the  Red 
Lion  School  House  and  Pine  Tavern,  the  follow- 
ing personal  property,  viz:  2  good  work  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  and  swine;  i  heavy  two  horse  wag- 
on, I  light  do.  and  harness,  plows,  harrows, 
rakes,  forks,  hoes;  hay  by  the  ton,  corn,  rye 
and  potatoes  by  the  bushel;  pine  and  poplar 
boards,  pine  logs  from  i  to  3  feet  through,  coal, 


12 


wood  Pump  logs,  &c.;  3  barrels  of  cider;  lie- 
hives.  Household  Goods  — such  as  stove,  cup- 
board, bureau,  chairs,  carpet,  shovels  and  tongs, 
dishes,  andirons, &c.&c. 

Sale  to  commence  at  i  o'clock,  P.  M.     Atten- 
dance and  conditions  at  sale  by 

JAMES  AVARS. 

March   10.    1846. 

A.  S.  Barber  Printer,  Woodbury, N.   J. 

The  children  of  James  and  Deborah  Ayars  arc 
as  follows: 

I    Benjaman  A.   2  Robert     3  Jepthah 

4  James  5  Elizabeth 

Benjamin  Abbott,  first  son  of  James  (5),  was 
born  in  Upper  Pittsgrove  N.  J.  January  12,  1809. 
He  married  in  1835,  Mary  Barber  Sheppard  of 
Roadstown  N.  J.  She  was  born  May  14,  1S15, 
her  death  occurred  at  Greenwich  N,  ].  January 
27,  1885.     Benjamin  A.  died  March  5,  1870. 

Robert,  second  son  of  James  (5),  was  born 
June  28,  1810,  married  Lydia  A.  Wood,  who 
died  in  1858.  He  married  for  his  .second  wife 
Elizabeth  P.  Stathem.  Robert  Ayars  died  No- 
vember 23.  1886. 

Jepthah,  third  son  of  James  (.s),  was  born  July 
9,  1813;  married  Margaret  Thomas,  who  was 
born  Augu.stg,  1821.     Jepthah  died  May  8,  1S92. 

James,   fourth  son  of  James  (5).  was  born  on 

the  17th  of  April  18 15,  married  first  Jane 

second  Hannah and  died  July  24,  1894. 

Elizabeth  fifth  ciiild  of  James  (5),  wa^  born 
March  ri,  1820,  she  married  David  M.  James, 
M.  D.,  settling  in  Laceyville,  Pennsylvania. 
She  died  March  31,    1S95 

13 


Benjamin  Abbott  Ayars,  eldest  son  of  James 
(5),  was  the  writers  father,  his  mother  named 
him  after  her  great  uacle,  Rev.  Benjamin  Abbott 
one  of  the  founders  of  Methodism  in  West  Jer- 
sey; whose  grave  in  Salem  is  yearly  visited  by 
many  of  his  admirers. 

Benjamin  and  his  brother  Robert  were  appren- 
ticed to  a  Mr.  Cole  of  Harrisonville,  to  learn 
trades.  They  served  their  apprenticeship  with 
credit;  then  commenced  business  for  themselves. 
Benjamin  married  in  1835  and  settled  in  the 
village  of  Shiloh,  the  home  of  his  early  ancestry, 
remaining  there  about  two  years,  then  removing 
to  Greenwich  where  his  brother  Robert  had  pre- 
ceded him.  There  the  brothers  entered  into 
partnership  and  carried  on  an  extensive  lous- 
iness. 

Benjamin  was  of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind, 
his  latest  invention  being  an  improved  thresher 
and  cleaner.  A  clipping  from  a  Bridgeton  news- 
paper gives  the  following  account: 

FARMING  IMPLEMENTS. 
"We  have  frequently  referred  to  the  impor 
tance  of  more  extended  manufacturing  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  and  are  pleased  to  learn  thai 
Mr.  Benjamin  Ayars  of  Greenwich,  has  been  in- 
creasing the  manufacture  of  Threshers  and  Clean - 
ers-another  patent  which  he  has  just  obtained, 
making  his  the  best  machine  in  the  market;  they 
are  rapidly  taking  the  place  of  others,  and  all  is 
wanted  is  a  more  extended  knowledge  of  them 
when  instead  of  this  part  of  the  state  being  sup- 
plied as  heretofore  by  those  from  a  distance  to  a 
great  extent,  Ayars'  make  will   not  only  supply 


the  home  demand  but  will  take  extensively 
wherever  known.  One  of  these  machines  owned 
by  Jonathan  Bee  of  Mannington,  Salem  County, 
has  threshed  and  cleaned  over  75  thousand 
bushels  of  wheat  and  is  now  in  good  running  or- 
der. Mr.  Ayars  has  a  good  stock  on  hand,  the 
price  varying  from  $190.  to  $260,  according  to 
style  for  horse  or  steam  power." 

The  children  of  Benjamin  A.  and  Mary  B. 
Ayars  are  as  follows: 

I   Elizabeth  A.     2   Mary  S.      3  Benjamin  H. 
4  Rebecca  G. 

Elizabeth  Ann,  first  child  of  Benjamin  (6), 
was  born  in  Shiloh,  September  24,  1836;  died 
September  7,  1900. 

Mary  Sheppard,  second  child  of  Benjamin  (6), 
was  born  in  Greenwich,  February  23,  1840;  died 
April  7,  1904. 

Benjamin  Homer,  first  .son  of  Benjamin  (6), 
was  born  in  Greenwich,  June  20.   1846. 

Rebecca  Graham,  fourth  child  of  Benjamin(6) , 
was  born  in  Greenwich,  February  28,  1849;  mar- 
ried Frank  D.  Andrews  of  Vineland,  N.J. .April 
10,  1890. 

By  adoption,  James,  son  of  Thomas  aiid  Mary 
Sheppard,  born  June  15,  1852,  married  Mary 
E.    Kirby. 

The  children  of  Benjamin  A.  Ayars  ever  re- 
member and  cherish  their  father's  nicmor},'.  He 
was  the  simple  gentleman,  with  a  good  kind 
heart.  "Of  that  best  portion  of  a  good  man's 
life,  are  his  little  nameless  acts  of  kindness  and  of 
love."  He  taught  his  cliildren  love,  and  in  nil 
of  tlieir  business  dealings  to  i)e  just    and    geiic-r 

15 


ous,  thiuking  not  only  of  theuiselvfs,  but  the 
benefit  others  were  receivinsj  also,  and,  in  review- 
ing his  Day- Book  and  Ledger  after  his  death, 
the  many  forgiven  debts  proved  he  lived  his 
teachings.  Mr.  Ayars  represented  his  district 
in  the  legislature  in  1849  and  1850,  postively 
declining  a  re  election  in  1851.  He  was  free- 
holder of  the  township  at  llie  time  of  his  death, 
having  filled  the  position  for  ten  years,  he  was 
also  assessor  for  fifteen    years. 

Mr.  Ayars  was  one  of  the  constituent  mem- 
bers of  the  Greenwich  Baptist  Church,  laboring 
for  the  advancement  of  every  righteous  cause. 

He  was  an  abolitionist,  a  benefactor  to  the  old 
slaves  that  frequented  his  shops,  and  the  last 
time  he  left  his  home,  the  week  of  his  death,  was 
on  an  errand  of  charity  to  relieve  a  destitute  col- 
ored family.  He  died  after  a  sickness  of  short 
duration  March  5,  1870,  having  been  injured  a 
few  months  previously  through  an  accident. 

His  funeral  was  attended  by  a  large  number 
of  people;  a  friend  whose  house  the  procession 
passed  counted  two-hundred  carriages  in  line. 

A  few  obituary  notices  from  the  papers  of  the 
day  are  here  inserted: 

Deceased —  Mr.  Benjamin  Ayars,  of  Green- 
wich, died  at  his  residence,  March  5th.  He  was 
a  member  and  deacon  of  the  Greenwich  Baptist 
Church.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  all  who 
kuew  him.  His  funeral  was  attended  by  a  large 
concourse  of  people.  The  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Andrew  J.  Hay.  pastor  of  the  Church, 
from  Rev.  xiv,  13 — "And  I  heard  a  voice  from 
Heaven  saying  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  the 
16 


dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth:  yea 
saith  the  spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  la- 
bors and  their  works  do  follow  them."  Revs. 
Dr.  Murphy,  of  Salem,  Wilder,  of  Bridgeton, 
and  Maul,  of  Woodbury,  participated  in  the  ser- 
vices. Mr.  Ayars  is  greatly  missed  by  his  fami- 
ly and  the  community.  A  faithful  christian  has 
left  the  Church,  but  the  members  console  them- 
selves with  the  thought  that  their  loss  is  his  gain. 

Benjamin  Avars. 

"The  deceased  was  well  known  through- 
out this  .section  of  country,  having  at  one  time 
represented  his  district  in  the  Legislature.  He 
was  a  deacon  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Greenwich 
for  many  years,  and  all  who  were  acquainted 
with  him  speak  of  his  many  good  qualities  of 
head  and  heart.  The  funeral  was  attended  by  a 
large  concourse  of  relatives  and  friends,  among 
whom  were  his  former  pastors.  Revs.  Murphy, 
Maul  and  Hay.  Rev.  Wilder  also  took  part  in 
the  solemn  ceremonies. 

•'The  Greenwich  Baptist  Church  speaking  of 
the  loss  of  one  of  their  efhcient  deacons  Brother 
Benjamin  Ayars  says:  He  was  baptised  in  1837, 
became  their  deacon  in  1857.  He  was  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  a  Trustee  of  the  Association.  As  a 
husband  and  father,  he  was  affectionate  and  kind, 
as  a  citizen  respected  and  beloved,  as  a  christian 
prudent  and  liberal,  earnest  and  devoted  and  al- 
ways at  his  po.st.  As  an  officer  of  the  Church 
.self-sacrificing  and  lal)orious.  He  was  a  good 
man  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Spirit." 

'7 


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